Radar satellite launched by Ariane 6 to support Copernicus Earth observation
NewsNovember 05, 2025
KOUROU, French Guiana. A radar Earth observation satellite, Copernicus Sentinel-1D, was launched into orbit by the Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket under a contract with the European Space Agency, Arianespace announced in a statement.
The Sentinel-1D satellite will carry a synthetic aperture radar instrument designed to provide day-and-night, all-weather imaging of Earth’s surface for environmental monitoring, the company says. The satellite was deployed into a sun-synchronous orbit approximately 693 kilometers above Earth, the statement reads.
This mission -- designated VA265 -- marks the third commercial flight of the Ariane 6 launcher. Arianespace says the launch supports Europe’s efforts to maintain autonomous access to space and contributes to the European Union’s Copernicus program, which focuses on land, ocean, and atmospheric observation.
Spacecraft separation occurred roughly 34 minutes after liftoff from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, the company says.
